{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-517.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-517.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-517.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-517.html"}],"law_id":81522,"edition_id":1,"section_id":81522,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-517","catch_line":"Enforcement; civil penalties","history":"2001, cc. 528, 553; 2019, cc. 256, 264; 2020, cc. 263, 607.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Attorney General, an attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for any locality may cause an action to be brought in the name of the Commonwealth or of the locality, as applicable, to enjoin any violation of this chapter by any responsible person and to recover from any responsible person damages for aggrieved persons in the amount of $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second violation, and $5,000 for each subsequent violation.B\n\nIf the court finds a willful violation, the court may, in its discretion, also assess against any responsible person a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 for each such violation.C\n\nIn any action brought under this section, the Attorney General, the attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for the locality may recover reasonable expenses incurred by the state or local agency in investigating and preparing the case, and attorney fees.D\n\nAny civil penalties assessed under subsection B in an action brought in the name of the Commonwealth shall be paid into the Literary Fund. Any civil penalties assessed under subsection B in an action brought in the name of a locality shall be paid into the general fund of the locality.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":292020,"text":"The Attorney General, an attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for any locality may cause an action to be brought in the name of the Commonwealth or of the locality, as applicable, to enjoin any violation of this chapter by any responsible person and to recover from any responsible person damages for aggrieved persons in the amount of $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second violation, and $5,000 for each subsequent violation.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":292021,"text":"If the court finds a willful violation, the court may, in its discretion, also assess against any responsible person a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 for each such violation.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":292022,"text":"In any action brought under this section, the Attorney General, the attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for the locality may recover reasonable expenses incurred by the state or local agency in investigating and preparing the case, and attorney fees.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":292023,"text":"Any civil penalties assessed under subsection B in an action brought in the name of the Commonwealth shall be paid into the Literary Fund. Any civil penalties assessed under subsection B in an action brought in the name of a locality shall be paid into the general fund of the locality.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":12904,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Telephone Privacy Protection Act","identifier":"44","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:00","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:00","permalink":{"id":262389,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12904,"identifier":"44","token":"59.1\/44","url":"\/59.1\/44\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12809,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trade and Commerce","identifier":"59.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":259521,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12809,"identifier":"59.1","token":"59.1","url":"\/59.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":87365,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-510","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Definitions","url":"\/59.1-510\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-510","metadata":false},{"id":77583,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-511","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Solicitation time restrictions","url":"\/59.1-511\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-511","metadata":false},{"id":78568,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-512","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Identification of telephone solicitor required","url":"\/59.1-512\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-512","metadata":false},{"id":68026,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-513","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Transmission of solicitor identification information required","url":"\/59.1-513\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-513","metadata":false},{"id":80030,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-513.1","catch_line":"(Effective until January 1, 2026) Abandoned telephone solicitation calls","url":"\/59.1-513.1\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-513.1","metadata":false},{"id":78644,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-514","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Unwanted telephone solicitations prohibited","url":"\/59.1-514\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-514","metadata":false},{"id":86959,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-514.1","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Joint liability of seller and telephone solicitor for prohibited acts; rebuttable presumption","url":"\/59.1-514.1\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-514.1","metadata":false},{"id":77039,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-515","catch_line":"Individual action for damages","url":"\/59.1-515\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-515","metadata":false},{"id":65267,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-516","catch_line":"Investigative authority","url":"\/59.1-516\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-516","metadata":false},{"id":81522,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-517","catch_line":"Enforcement; civil penalties","url":"\/59.1-517\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-517","metadata":false},{"id":54020,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-518","catch_line":"Effect on other remedies, causes of action or penalties","url":"\/59.1-518\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-518","metadata":false},{"id":60514,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-518.01","catch_line":"Communication with state agencies","url":"\/59.1-518.01\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-518.01","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":65267,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-516","catch_line":"Investigative authority","url":"\/59.1-516\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-516","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":54020,"structure_id":12904,"section_number":"59.1-518","catch_line":"Effect on other remedies, causes of action or penalties","url":"\/59.1-518\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-518","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/59.1-517\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2001. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 528<\/a> and 553<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2019, chapters 256<\/a> and 264<\/a>; in 2020, chapters 263<\/a> and 607<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":78644,"section_number":"59.1-514","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Unwanted telephone solicitations prohibited","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-514\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":262427,"object_type":"law","relational_id":81522,"identifier":"59.1-517","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-517","url":"\/59.1-517\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-517\/","token":"59.1\/44\/59.1-517","dublin_core":{"Title":"Enforcement; civil penalties","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-517","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Attorney General<\/span>, an attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for any locality may cause an action to be brought in the name of the Commonwealth or of the locality, as applicable, to enjoin any violation of this chapter by any responsible person<\/span> and to recover from any responsible person<\/span> damages<\/span> for aggrieved persons in the amount of $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second violation, and $5,000 for each subsequent violation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> If the court<\/span> finds a willful violation, the court<\/span> may, in its discretion, also assess against any responsible person<\/span> a civil penalty<\/span> of not more than $5,000 for each such violation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> In any action brought under this section, the Attorney General<\/span>, the attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for the locality may recover reasonable expenses incurred by the state or local agency in investigating and preparing the case, and attorney fees. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Any civil penalties assessed under subsection B in an action brought in the name of the Commonwealth shall be paid into the Literary Fund. Any civil penalties assessed under subsection B in an action brought in the name of a locality shall be paid into the general fund of the locality. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nENFORCEMENT; CIVIL PENALTIES (\u00a7 59.1-517)\n\nA. The Attorney General, an attorney for the Commonwealth, or the attorney for\nany locality may cause an action to be brought in the name of the Commonwealth\nor of the locality, as applicable, to enjoin any violation of this chapter by\nany responsible person and to recover from any responsible person damages for\naggrieved persons in the amount of $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a\nsecond violation, and $5,000 for each subsequent violation.\n\nB. If the court finds a willful violation, the court may, in its discretion,\nalso assess against any responsible person a civil penalty of not more than\n$5,000 for each such violation.\n\nC. In any action brought under this section, the Attorney General, the attorney\nfor the Commonwealth, or the attorney for the locality may recover reasonable\nexpenses incurred by the state or local agency in investigating and preparing\nthe case, and attorney fees.\n\nD. Any civil penalties assessed under subsection B in an action brought in the\nname of the Commonwealth shall be paid into the Literary Fund. Any civil\npenalties assessed under subsection B in an action brought in the name of a\nlocality shall be paid into the general fund of the locality.\n\nHISTORY: 2001, cc. 528, 553; 2019, cc. 256, 264; 2020, cc. 263, 607.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}